Loading light



Feb. 23, 1954 E, OLSON 2,670,428

LOADING LIGHT Filed May 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I1 1115-; if: 1

E. H. OLSON LOADING LIGHT Feb. 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1951 Efrem, H 0/8012 Patented Feb. 23, 1954 i:QByIeeNationalafiompany F Ghinago' iilllLp Iarzcor- .o ati -ofibleml tensible elements movable --ona predetermined,

longitudinal axis :supports. a lamp-supporting -arm; for-relative piyotal movement. A==biasing -means is provicled to" =continuously==urge the mlamp-supporting -arm int o 1 a predetermined angular alignment remmvem :t-h ==long itudinal axis, the biasing .means -being automatically .yieldable in response to a-rpredeterminedforce imparted to thearmintthe general' dire'ction' of the longitudinal axis.

.. The lamp-supportingcarm: isvypreferably provided'with a,-gooseneckiconfiguration adjacent ,therend thereof and. a lightrsource is afiixed to "the end of the'gooseneck':portionof?the-arm so that the loaders light 'fixtu'rezmay be convenit iently, hooked ran; 'openinglzsuchr as: the door .;way.of a railway,freightrtcar 'rfor example." By' the provision of the yieldabl' i continuous biasing means;;.an addedxsafetytfeatureis iaiforded since :rinadverent movement"ofxthenvehicle with which :the; loaders light fixture? may -',:be:: .employed:.will

:.- .operate onlyto ,moverthe.lampesupportingsarni toward 1 an. extended :positiomrinccoaxial align- 2-;mentawithathesupportstructure.

It .isran obj ecth ofzthe;presentinventioniathere- .fore; :to :provide an :improved :loadersu-lightxfixture; wherein a lampesupporting rarm: associated -l. with a longitudinally. extensiblez support i-struca tune; iscontinuously-a-biasedr;into: predetermined alignment.

Another object.;-of the present inventionzis to provid a loaderszlight. structure; having a lamp support arm rarran eclu in predetermined angu- ,r' lamalignment; relativeto a support structure: and vin which such Dnedetermined alignmentmay; be maintained without requiring reneatedsemanual xresettingoperations. 4';

A further object of the presenteinyentionis to '..provide anlimproved loader-'alightliikture which is "efiicientminoperationf'durable .in iu fse and in which safety factors. are maximized.

1 "Many, other features -jadvantages and addi-i:

tionar' objects'of"the"present' ilivjehtionfwillj "bei m -magnjfestto *those versed -inthe "art "upon making reference tofth' detailed description that NafdllOWSz'fihd the 1 acciampanyingissheets of drawrzzmgssintwhiclr: arspreierredssstructural ."zemliodi-i onnection with the loading-platforms at freight:

1.152 ment; incorporating he principles df the present I invention is 'shownyby wa'y or illustrativeexample.

on theolrawirigs: '-'=-Figure 1 is adiagrammatic' view showing a loaders light fixture proyided inaccordance with the principles of the present invention employed in connection with a loading faility 'adjacent a railway siding;

Figure 2 is anenlarged broken elevational-view of the loaders' light fixturerprorided in' accordance' with ;the'--principlesof;-'the present-drivention; Figure 3 i is an enlarged cross-*sectional fragmentary viewtaken"siibstantiallyonline III lII 'of -Figur'e2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged -fragmentarypross section'al view 1 taken-= "substantially: on lin IV-IV of Figure 2;and

' -Figu-re 5-'--is a- -fragmentary broken elevational I view 1 showing the lamp support arm 'of the loaders light fixture-provided accordance with the principles of the present inventionrelatively angularly displacelfin theg 'gene'ral direction of movement-toward coaxial alignment with i-the support structure.

t As" shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of general iitility; the loadrsi-light fix- -ture herein 'desc'ribedfinds a particularlywuseful 'application when :u'sedin connectionwith load- 30 llustrated=use ing facilities, for example;- the-* shown in Figure 1-"contemplating the provision of alo'ading'platforrn lfl-fi'adkiacent a ra iIWay-Eiding I I 'upon whicn ia pos'itioned awrailwayrzcar 'x' l2 having-anopening l nlw hich is supported a leader's light fixture indicated generally-by the reference numeral Mnonstructed in accordance 1 :with the principles of thezpresentvinvention 'and attached to thecanopyi lfi extending superjacent the loading platform I 0. 'TheloaderS lightfixtureil Auiiicludes a: support 1 structure :11 -':havin i irlongitudinallm- :xextens'ible memb ers' movable on a "predetermined longitudi- "na'l aXis.' More' particulairlyr ithe'ssupport' struoture I 'T comprises a rod-5 8 Fluent: 'ba'ckmpo'n ,itself 1w: form a pair bf-par leqiialigned :IegsL'lJ-Ba': and 1 i1 8b: and forming an' ey laiibylmeansfo 3 bottoms the rods I 80 and [8b of rod l8. When the light is pulled down, the body slides down the rods |8a and 18b and compresses the spring 23.

The bottom stop structure 2| is held in firm assembly with the housing 216 by a plurality of screws 22. The other end of the coil spring 23 is engaged by a top stop member 24 secured in firm assembly to a tubular housing 26 by a plurality of screws 21.

The housing 26 completely encloses the spring 23 and receives the rod IS in telescopic assembly so that the length of the support structure 11 may be selectively adjusted along a longitudinal axis by efiecting relative telescopic movement between the rod 18 and the housing 26.

A lamp support arm 39 is connected to a bracket 31 which, in turn, is pivotally supported by the housing 26 by a pivot pin 32. Adjacent the end thereof, the lamp support arm 30 is provided with a gooseneck configuration indicated at 33, a light source being provided at the end of the gooseneck and taking the form in this embodiment of a socket 34 receiving an incandescent bulb 38. A globe guard 31 is connected to the end of the lamp support arm 30 by means of a stra clamp 38.

The lamp support arm 30 is preferably arranged in a predetermined angular alignment relative to the longitudinal axis of the support structure I! so that the lamp support arm 38 may be inserted through an opening such as the opening l3 of the railway car it shown in Figure 1 with the gooseneck portion 33 securely hooking the lamp support arm 30 in the interior of the space being unloaded.

To effect such predetermined alignment, the present invention contemplates the provision of biasing means to continuously urge the lamp support arm 30 toward a generally transverse plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the support structure [1.

In this particular embodiment, the biasing means includes a leaf spring 40 bent back upon itself to form a loop and having one leg firmly connected to the bracket 31 by a plurality of fasteners 4|, the other leg of the spring Ml extending generally parallel to the axis of the lamp support arm 3!] and having a roller assembly 42 including a cam wheel 43 securely fastened on the free end thereof.

A cam 44 is firmly assembled to the housing 26 of the support structure IT and includes a cam surface 46 to engage the cam wheel 53.

The cam it, together with the spring 48 operate to normally impart a continuous biasing force to the lamp support arm 38, thereby to retain the lamp support arm 39 in predetermined angular alignment relative to the longitudinal axis of the support structure ii.

If a displacing force greater than the biasing force exerted by the spring 49 is imparted to the lamp support arm 30 in the general direction of the longitudinal axis of the support structure ll, the cam wheel 43 will ride on the cam surface As and the lamp support arm 30 will be displaced toward a position wherein the lamp support .arm 39 will lie in general coaxial alignment relative to the support structure ll. This action is illustrated in Figure of the drawings. As soon as the displacing force is removed from the lamp support arm 30, the coaction of the cam 44 and the spring 40 will again urge the lamp support arm at automatically to its normally angularly aligned position. It will be evident, therefore, that the structurethus provided makes it 1111-.

necessary to manually reset the lamp support arm 30 in predetermined angular alignment after the lamp support arm 30 has been displaced.

To provide for the energization of the incandescent bulb 36, electrical conductors 41 may be provided and are led through a tubing 48 inserted in the housing 26, the conductors 4! being led through the lamp support arm 30 which preferably takes the form of a hollow tube. A

suitable grommet t9 may be provided at the top of the tube lii.

In operation, the normal relative angular alignment of the lamp support arm 38 and the support structure I! will secure the lamp in hooked relationship within a railway car I2. Moreover, an added safety feature is afforded since inadvertent movement of the railway car i2 will merely result in the impartation of a displacing force to the lam support arm 30 in the general direction of the longitudinal axis of the support structure i7 against the continuous biasing force exerted by the coaction of the spring 40 and the cam M. When the lamp support arm 3i; is extended toward a coaxially aligned position relative to the support structure 57, the lamp support arm will be readily withdrawn through the opening it; and will be automatically restored to predetermined aligned position without requiring a manual reset operation.

Although various minor structural modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to em body within the scope of this application all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A loaders light comprising a pair of telescoping members, a spring normally urging said telescoping members to fully telescoped position, a lamp arm pivotally connected to one of said members, a locking member pivotally connected to the other of said member to support the light, a spring carried by said lamp arm having a cam wheel on the end thereof, a cam carried by said one of said members and having a cam surface engageable with said cam wheel, spring and said cam operable to normally bias said lamp arm into predetermined angular alignment relative to said telescoping members and being automatically yieldabie in response to a predetermined force imparted to said arm. in the general direction of telescoping movement of said members.

2. A loaders light comprising a longitudinally extending support structure, a lamp arm pivotally connected to said structure, a locking member pivotally connected to said structure to support said structure, a spring carried by said lamp arm and having a cam wheel on the end thereof, a cam carried by said support structure having a cam surface engageable with said cam wheel, said spring and said cam operable to normally bias said lamp arm int-o predetermined angular alignment relative to said support structure and being automatically yieldable in response to a predetermined force imparted to said arm in the general direction of said longitudinally extending support structure.

3. In a loaders light fixture, a rod form member bent back upon itself to provide a pair of parallel aligned legs having a mounting eye at one end thereof, a tubular housing telescopically receiving said legs with said eye projecting out of one end of said housing for pivotal attachment to a support, a coil spring completely enclosed in said housing having one end connected to said legs and the other end connected adjacent to said one end of said housing, a lamp supporting arm pivotally secured to the other end of said housing, a detent means for holding said arm perpendicular to the direction of telescoping movement of said legs and said housing,

said detent means including means yieldable to release the arm upon application to the arm of a predetermined force in the general direction of said telescoping movement in excess of the force required to compress the coil spring, a leaf spring connected to said arm and having a roller thereon, and a bracket on said other end of said housing providing a cam surface cooperatively engaging said roller to automatically return bias said arm towards perpendicular position.

4. In a loaders light fixture, a rod form member bent back upon itself to provide a pair of parallel aligned legs having a mounting eye at one end thereof, a tubular housing telescopically receiving said legs with said eye projecting out of one end of said housing for pivotal attachment to a support, a coil spring completely enclosed in said housing having one end connected to said legs and the other end connected adjacent said one end of said housing, a bifurcated bracket pivotally connected to the other end of said housing, a lamp supporting arm carried by said bracket and pivotally movable relative to said housing, a leaf spring connected to said arm and having a roller thereon, and a stationary camming member connected to said other end of said housing and providing a cam surface cooperatively engaging said roller for holding said arm perpendicular to the direction of telescoping movement of said legs in said housing, said cam and said roller being yieldable to release the arm upon application to the arm of a force in the general direction of said telescoping movement in excess of the force required to compress said coil spring.

5. A loaders light fixture comprising, a rod form member bent back upon itself to provide a pair of parallel aligned legs with a mounting eye on one end thereof, a tubular housing telescopically receiving said legs through one end thereof, a coil spring in said housing connected at one end to said other end of said legs and connected at its other end near said one end of said tubular housing, a lamp support arm having a bifurcated bracket at one end thereof pivotally connected to said other end of said tubular housing, the other end of said arm having a gooseneck portion with a light source connected thereto, a leaf spring connected to said bracket and having a portion extending generally parallel to the axis of said arm and including a roller on the free end thereof, and a stationary cam member connected in form assembly with said tubular housing at the other end thereof and providing a cam surface for cooperatively engaging said roller to hold said arm generally normal to the direction of telescoping movement of said legs and said housing, said roller and said cam surface being yieldable to release the arm upon application thereto of a force in excess of the force required to compress said spring.

ERNEST H. OLSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 234,566 Harb Nov. 16, 1880 251,225 Hart Dec. 20, 1881 313,720 Gill Mar. 10, 1885 1,856,477 Gerline May 3, 1 932 2,538,655 Preston Jan. 16, 1951 

